


The Path Of Stars

by Arkhaniel



Series: Selene and Regis story [2]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Bat Regis, Blood Bond, Blood Drinking, Curse Breaking, Exploration of vampires nature, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Flying, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Sequel, Slow Burn, Tdet, Vampires, post-Blood and Wine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-01-23 18:08:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12513224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkhaniel/pseuds/Arkhaniel
Summary: Follow the story of Selene and Regis, from their bloody experience to their adventure in the dangerous and exciting world of the Witcher, where they will learn to know and trust each other.Sequel to A Shared Existence





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Here is the sequel of the one-shot called "A Shared Existence".  
> I will explore Regis relationship with a human woman and many aspects of vampires society and nature.  
> I have based my work on the books, the games, my own understanding of all the unknown information, and the amazing videos by Proper Bird about vampires/higher vampires: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fopuw316R40&list=PLEDpsDeyNJeSeLqQXyXDcSJrtK9rdUdfR&index=6
> 
> Don't hesitate to tell me what you think :)

There was so much light in her eyes, so much warmth and trust. How could such a pure being put her life into his bloody hands? He have killed so many like her in his younger years, without any remorse. But it was a very long time ago. Everything was different now.

Her face was still between his hands, he kissed her forehead lightly and smiled reassuringly at her. Then Regis put Selene back against him, her head found its place again on his right shoulder. 

“Are you ready my dear?”  
She could only gave him a nod, her heart was treacherously beating fast and loud, and she felt a lump of apprehension in her stomach.  
“Try to relax and to breath, I will be careful.” 

He put her hair away from her neck and with great care his right hand pushed her head slowly on the right side. She still could walk away from this if she wanted to, but she made no move to stop him and put no resistance.

She was smelling so delightful, and the noise of her heart, the warmth through her clothes was confusing, driving him away from his task. He cannot recall the last time he had felt like this, felt this soothing warmth against him, particularly not a human one, or at least not in that way. His left hand found her own and he squeezed it gently, savoring the feeling of her skin against his own.  
He could not let himself carried away, particularly not now when her bloodstream was so close to his mouth.  
He raised his gaze to meet Dettlaff blue eyes, who was looking at the duo from a small distance. He gave him a nod, knowing he could count on him in case something went wrong.

Selene took a deep breath to calm her nerves, trying to focus on the feeling of his soft and thin fingers on hers, his gentle grasp on the side of her head, the music around her, the guests chatting, the sudden feeling of cold and soft lips on her neck near the junction with the shoulder... oh by the gods... he was making it completely impossible for her to concentrate on something else. Goosebumps appeared on her arms and a shiver runned through her entire spine. As a reflex she tightened her hold on his hand. 

He managed nonetheless to turn her attention away from his lips when his right hand began to massage her scalp, and his thumb to put a pressure where she could lose herself in his touch.  
At that precise moment she felt a sharp pain where he had just bitten her. But it was just a puncture on her skin, he have made it quick and have bitten precisely where he knew he would hurt her the less. Being a surgeon is convenient for that task, knowing exactly the structure of the human body.  
Now he was sucking gently on the wound, taking his time like a cat enjoying the best milk. 

The pain subsided to a light numbness and she could feel his tongue soothing the skin in the process. The act was intimate, the knock of apprehension in her stomach felt more like teeny butterflies now, and another shiver ran down her whole body when she heard him groan softly against her skin. 

It was affecting him, but he was not loosing control like he feared he could, although he only drank a little among of her blood and didn't tarry too long on the exquisite taste of her humanity running down his throat. That sweet and intoxicating taste, the warmth flooding in his body, he had to stop himself and get away from that nectar before he really hurt her and become drunk of it.  
It was so much better than the ravens blood he had tasted back then for the Tesham Mutna episode, and even better than he remembered it. Because she gave it willingly to him, with trust, without resistance, without fear of his nature.  
Her precious gift... he felt his soul lighter, as if a weigh has been lifted from his shoulders. 

He managed to withdraw himself from her tempting neck, and gently whispered to her.  
“Are you okay Selene? Are you in pain?”  
She turned her head to look at him. His onyx like irises were wide, his mouth slightly open and his reddish fangs were showing up. 

She smiled at him, giving another squeeze on his hand.  
“I am fine, the pain is nearly gone already.”  
A large smile grew on his face, showing even more of his incisors. The view of them made her heart fluttered and she had to look shyly away – yep she was attracted by his vampires pointy attributes – what Geralt would think of that.  
Regis acknowledged it of course, judging by the increasing ark of his brows, and she smiled lightly at him in return. 

They were not done yet, and when he took an empty glass from the table next to them, the apprehension came back. They had agreed of an exchange after all. 

“I am under the impression that it will feel kind of awkward for you to drink directly from me, which is highly comprehensible. So let us do it in a more appropriate human like manner.”

Without taking a break he sliced his right palm open with his sharp nails, and let some blood dropped in the golden glass, which looked more like a chalice. Quite relevant for the sacred liquid inside.  
He gave it to her after the wound quickly healed. A serious expression was on his face, and also a hint of worry, and she saw with a slight uncomfortable feeling that the entire room was now looking in their direction, their attention focused on them because of the smell of higher vampire blood in the air.

Can this dark red liquid kill her if she drinks it? And why was it moving slightly on its surface as if alive??  
Their was no turning back now, and she didn't let herself overthinking it again, she had made her decision, Regis knew what he was doing, or at least she really hoped so.

She looked at Regis one more time, put the goblet to her lips and drank it all at once.  
Fortunately there was not much in it but she still feared to become sick of it. Humans are not supposed to drink blood after all, certainly not from an other race.  
But to her astonishment, the metallic taste had something spicy in it that made it bearable to drink. The very thick composition was not very pleasant though and she had the impression to feel it running down her throat as if it was a very strong and burning alcohol.  
She didn't dared to comment on it or try to make a joke about the weirdness of the action, the atmosphere around them was not allowing it. 

Regis put his hand on her chin and raise her head to look more closely at her.  
“How are you feeling darling? You may experience some unsettling sensations, but don't be wary of them.”  
“I feel okay Regis, just a little warm... or even very warm...”  
It felt suddenly as if she was on fire, not from the pain, but from the powerful warmth that was taking possession of her senses. She grabbed Regis coat with both hands and breathed heavily, closing her eyes in the process. Her ears were buzzing and her heart was speeding up to an abnormal level. 

Regis covered her hands with his own.  
“Breath Selene and try to stay calm. It is a normal reaction to my powerful blood. Its composition differs extremely from yours, but it should not harm you if you don't fight the feelings.”

She couldn't understand the meaning of his words, some strange whispers could be heard around her, in a language she didn't knew. Was she becoming crazy??  
Regis whispered comforting words to her ear, in his own foreign language and then settle his forehead against hers. She tried to focus on him, on his closeness, and to her relief the side effects subsided slowly, just the spreading warmth remained.  
When she looked up, she found out that Regis had closed his eyes too and was slightly panting, lost in the moment. 

“Does it affect you too? Are you in pain?”  
His attention came back, her worry was amusing him.  
“Not at all, please do not concern yourself for my well being, I am more than fine. I am glad to see that you have recovered your senses.”  
"I have, but... what a strange sensation."  
Many questions were coming to her mind, and for an unknown reason she also felt very tired, as if all her energy had been drained away from her. 

The vampire settled her down tightly against him, his arms around her.  
“Don't fight the sleepiness my dear, you need to rest after that, you are safe with me.”

Falling asleep against him in the middle of that revel was a little weird, but Selene was feeling extremely good in his embrace and couldn't resist long before the darkness took her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very sorry for the long wait, but the new chapter is finally here!!  
> There is not much action yet for I needed to introduce my OC a bit, but things are going to be more interesting.  
> I hope you will like it, thanks for reading and don't hesitate to let a comment for all kind of critics :)
> 
> Edit: just a reminder, that fic is a direct sequel of A Shared Existence, so it's better to read it first ;)

_**Three months before** _

Selene was enjoying the rays of the morning sun, sitting on her palomino mare along the Sansretour river.

She put her head back and breathed deeply. She was almost too warm clasped in her long brown and green leather tunic, Toussaint weather was nothing like Skellige. The forest next to her became more and more sparse - soon she will be able to look at the sharp edges of Beauclair palace.

Suddenly she heard a low grunt coming from her left. She halted her horse, looked on the side of the road and locked her eyes with yellow ones. A big brown wolf was approaching dangerously, growling. The horse began to be agitated and Selene put her hand on her mane, calming her down with reassuring words, never leaving the wolf's eyes.  
The canid creature stopped and looked intently at her ; others were surrounding the place now. 

"Good morning to you, are you the master of this wood?", she asked the wolf in the elder race speech.  
A green spark emerged in her eyes, she was smiling, not loosing her calm despite the situation.

The animal hummed the air, gave a little grunt that was no more menacing, and left, following closely by the others.

Selene looked at their disappearing forms and set her horse on the path again. Being a druid have some good advantages, and she knew the forest's creatures like no others. She respected them and in return they never attacked her. She discovered the language of the nature in Skellige, when she was only a child, after a hierophant discovered in her some rare magic ability. And she learned how to use that power, coming from the trees, from the air, from the wildlife, to protect and care for others, like all druids do. 

Following the path during two more hours and asking her way to workers along the road, she finally saw the vineyard she was looking for, Corvo Bianco. She halted her horse under a stone alcove next to a sign post and walked down on the pavement. It was so beautiful. Pink roses, lilac, verbenas, cypress were all around her, the sky was as clear as crystal water, joyful laughs could be heard all around her. _What a nice living place_ she thought. 

Selene have known Yennefer and Geralt since some time now, they had met in Skellige when she was younger. She helped them under the supervision of Ermion. They never stopped writing to each other ever since, and the young woman visited them in Novigrad not so long ago, before they settled down in Toussaint. 

She didn't had to walk long because the witcher she was looking for stood in the courtyard, his arms full of armor pieces. He was walking down a set of stairs heading for what looked like some storage rooms under the estate.

"Geralt!" she exclaimed before he could go any further.

Turning around and taking a look at the newcomer, he hastily let everything fall on the floor before walking to her, his arms wild open.

"Selene! So good you could come!"  
They embraced each other, Geralt lifting her off the ground like he used to before setting her down again.

"Thank you for inviting me to stay! I really hope it won't be a problem for you, I shouldn't stay too long like I told you in my letter. I will be meeting with the druids in Caed Myrkvid in four days, and I will be on my way right after."

"Don't be so hasty, you can stay here as long as you want, and Yennefer won't like it if you leave so soon, she have been talking about your arrival since ages!” Geralt smiled, taking her to the mansion where Yennefer was waiting. “You are very welcome Selene, and I am sure you will love the place." 

One day after, sitting on the bench in front of the house, Selene was absorbed in a particularly interesting book, when a man, walking with secure steps, his back straight like a bow string, came close to the entrance of the estate. He stopped before reaching the house and seemed to contemplate something.

"If you are searching for the master of the estate,” she shouted at him, “he is not home.”

Geralt and Yen left around midday for an important meeting with the garrison officer of Beauclair. The sun was setting down but they had not yet returned. 

The man cast a glance at her, seemed to ponder something once again before walking to her, stopping next to some barrels of wine.

"Thank you for the information young lady. The house is indeed too calm to have any occupant at the moment."

He gave her a small closed smile that she returned with a nod. His hands were tightly gripping a leather strap across his abdomen, and Selene could catch sight of herbs hanging from his bag. A strong smell was coming from him. _Ah_ , she thought, _an alchemist, or an herbalist maybe, and perhaps a nobleman judging by his choice of words._  
She looked up and was struck by his eyes. She had never seen irises of such color before, like obsidian, and she found herself drown by them for a short moment.

_So much sadness in their depth, and at the same time so much life._

She blinked out of her stupor, and feeling his curious gaze on her she quickly looked down on her book, feeling uncomfortable. 

"Forgive me for my straightforwardness," said the strange gentleman, "but you don't seem to be part of the vineyard workers. Are you some good acquaintance of Geralt? I don't remember we have met."

Of course he guessed that because of her clothes. Yennefer bought a dress for her as a welcome gift. She was to her great despair looking like a Beauclair noblewoman with an outrageous neckline showing a little too much for her taste. A necklace was hanging around her neck, with a big tree as a pendant, one half green and the other half silver.

"You guessed right my lord. I have been invited by Geralt to stay here a few days, my name is Selene Valarys aep Reardan." 

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance my lady, my name is Emiel Regis Rohellec Terzieff-Godefroy, I am also a friend of Geralt. He knows I should come today. Maybe I can wait for his return with you if my company is not undesirable." He smiled again, the kindness in it touched his eyes. She couldn't read men like she does with animals, but she knew she could trust him, she felt it.

"Nice to meet you too sir, and that's no problem at all, just sit next to me, I am sure it won't take them long. Oh and please don't call me with that title, I am no lady, Selene is enough."

He chuckled at that comment and sat next to her. "I should indulge your request, but only if you do the same and call me Regis".

"We have a deal then!" she announced. A soft and warm breeze came to caress her face. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and let herself relaxed. She felt it then, it is barely noticeable but it's here... 

"You look incredibly peaceful next to a stranger you just met." His tuneful voice startled her but she tried to remain as impassive as she could.

"Why shouldn't I be so? You just said you are Geralt's friend, and he have a talent to surround himself by only the finest and most trustful beings. So I have nothing to worry about."

"Hum difficult to argue with such a rational thought, and I thank you for your reliance on that case. I interrupted your reading before, what sort of book is it if you don't mind me asking?"

"It is a tome about oaks, written by the very well known Marik Spenthrall."

"Interesting. I have heard that name before, was he not the hierophant who had, according to rumors, a spriggan as a friend after he saved the creature from the giant fire of Morskogen?"

“Indeed,” she grinned and looked suspiciously at him, “but it was more than a hundred years ago, only a few druids know that story. Where do you learn that from?"

"I have made many acquaintances around and I tend to read as much as I can on a large choice of topics." He looked slightly uncomfortable. 

"I see. Where are you from Regis? Are you an herbalist of some kind?"

"I am a barber-surgeon from Dillingen. I am also interested in alchemy, and my profession requires some good knowledge about it. How about you Selene, are you leaving in Toussaint?”

Returning to her book, she answered without looking at him, “Not at all. I am from Skellige, Faroe to be precise. I am a druid and should attend a meeting with others at Caed Myrkvid.”

Regis raised his eyebrows, eyeing her with curiosity. “Hmm you don't have any accent that could sell you out concerning your origins. I hadn't the chance to converse with many druids and I have to admit that I am rather curious about all the knowledge you may possess as a lover and protector of all natural and magic things.”

“I have been found in the forest when I was only a child, I don't remember anything anterior to that event. I also never stayed in Skellige for too long, always felt the need to discover the world.” She closed the book again and looked playfully at her new companion. “And I would gladly share my gigantic wisdom with you mister surgeon if you indulge me in return with some knowledge of yours.” She laughs, feeling completely at ease, as if she knew him from a long time ago. The man returned her grin, a new spark lightened his eyes. He took his hand from the leather strap of his bag and extended it to her, as a gesture of introduction. “How could I resist such a tempting offer. Until our ways depart, we have much to talk about.”

The young woman put her hand softly on his, barely touching his glove and never leaving his eyes. "This we have!"

_**Present time** _

Selene woke up with a start. Her head was spinning and an uncomfortable buzzing assaulted her ears. Turning on her right side on the comfy bed she was lying on, she took her head in her hands, putting her knees up to her chin.

Soft hands covered hers and she looked up at the worried face of Regis, sitting on a chair in front of her. 

“My dear are you in great pain? You were very agitated in your sleep, I was about to wake you up. Did you had a nightmare?”

His touch and voice had a soothing effect. She arranged her limbs to look better at him and take his hands in hers. “I am okay, I feel a little better now. I don't really remember the dream but there was some sort of darkness, and I felt lost and afraid. Forgive me if I worried you.”

Anguish didn't left his expression. _Was he regretting what happened?_  
“Don't apologize Selene,” he sighs, “I am the one who put you into that state.” He looked away, like ashamed of himself. She didn't liked it. Didn't liked it at all. Sitting hastily on the bed she let go of his hands to wrap her arms around his neck, ignoring the nausea she felt at that moment.

“Don't blame yourself, please! I don't regret anything and I am feeling fine, bad dreams happened quite a lot for humans.” He returned her embrace, gripping her tighter than intended. 

When they distanced each other, Regis took a cup full of a brown mixture smelling of ginger, and gave it to her.  
“Here darling, drink that. It will help with the headache and the nausea.”

_How did he knew how she was feeling?_  
Well as a healer he certainty could interpret his patients behaviors without asking about the symptoms. And he knew a lot more than her about blood exchange. Speaking about that...  
Selene took a gulp and put her hand on the side of her neck where Regis had bitten her earlier. 

Nothing. There was nothing. No traces, no pain, her skin was as smooth as before as if nothing had happened. She looked incredulously at him. “How...?”

“Well I was not sure it would work the same on you since you are human, but higher vampire blood have a very complex chemical composition. It gives us our form, it gives us life in a more complicated way than human understand it, and above all it have a great healing property. Blood is sacred among my brethren, and is not to deal lightly with. Therefore, as you consumed my blood, it healed you, healed the scar left by my teeth.”

Dumbfounded, she tried to digest the news with a thousand questions blooming in her mind.  
“It has healed me? Are you serious? Vampire blood can heal humans?! Everything about you is fascinated and now I have just learn that your blood is magical!” 

Regis had a serious look on his face and her excitement died in a minute. 

“It has nothing to do with magic dear, it's purely scientific. And please don't fall into the belief that by giving our blood to any injured human we could treat any kind of bruises or even deceases in a minute. It doesn't work like this. My blood healing you is only a matter of conjunctures that happened the way they did for this case only. It is difficult to explain but it could never have happened without your trust, your acceptance, and a good measure of my own will. Which is, as a matter of fact, truly incredible.” His seriousness transformed into some sort of awe, and she felt rather fortunate. Not only his blood haven't killed her but it has healed her!

“What other effects should it have on me? You said it never happened before or at least not like that.”

“Indeed dear it haven't, but you should not worry yourself with that. Let us give it time and not tarry too much on it.” Selene felt he was not telling her all he knew about it. But she wasn't going to push him to reveal something she is apparently not ready to hear yet. They don't know each other since a long time after all. She will eventually figure it out later. 

Despite the energy she felt coming back to her and the soon complete disappearance of any pain or discomfort, something was not quite right. A strange sensation touched her mind, barely detectable, far away and at the same time very close. A sensation that felt like concern and also gratitude. 

Those same feelings she could see reflected in Regis eyes.

Two hours later, Selene was sitting in a cozy little dinning room, eating a delicious pumpkin pie in company of Regis, Dettlaff, and three other male individuals.

The guestroom she occupied earlier belonged to her host, who seemed to have settled his home into the rock of the mountain above them. Regis told her after her awakening that their host have kindly invited them to a dinner before they head back to Toussaint. 

All males were conversing quietly in a very odd language she knew nothing about. She tried not to pay them attention (because obviously the conversation was not meant for her), but the exotic words were uttered by Regis in such a melodious and fascinating way that she had a hard time concentrating on her plate. 

The sudden silence came unexpected and when she finally dared to look up, everyone was gazing at her. Regis looked a little worried and embarrassed. The man in front of him with dark green eyes and auburn short hair, dressed in an old fashioned way and harboring a somber expression, raised from his place to stand directly in front of her next to the empty chair. His raucous voice gave her an unpleasant shill.  
“Miss Valarys, that is your name isn't it, Emiel just told me so.” The disdain in his voice was obvious, as if saying her name was a distasteful exercise, “He also told me that you are a mage,” _not a mage, a druid, a druid!_ “and that situation of yours could be a great benefit for me.” _Here we are, the asshole wants something_ “There are of course other mages I could hire for this task, but I know none that have the same closeness with us vampires than you have. Even if I find such disgraceful behavior like the one from last night to be extremely revolting,” _wait, is he referring to their blood exchange?_ “I could use your service for a fair price, if you agree to it. And regarding the gift that had been given to you, I don't imagine you will refuse anything, isn't it?”

Selene tried to send him back his stare, putting her shin up and trying to use a tone as cold as she could. She didn't liked him the slightest.  
“First of all I am not a mage but a druid, secondly my decisions are my own and I haven't asked for your opinion about them. If you want my help you could at least try to be nice and present yourself.”  
Her interlocutor opened his eyes in an utter shock and right after his eyes took a dangerous spark.

“Please my friend no need for such harshness, the young lady could use a better explanation.” The man who spoke, sitting a second before at the end of the table, had suddenly appeared next to the now pissed vampire, putting a hand on his shoulder. He was watching her with interest. Meanwhile Regis had also disappeared from his seat to stand now very close to Selene. His protective aura was wrapping around her like a soothing blanket. 

The chestnut hair vampire relaxed, and took the empty seat, joining his hands in front of him. “Very well,” he said in a still harsh tone, looking at Selene empty plate, “You will have to do without my name as I do not like to share it with humans, without offending you of course master druid.” He grinned, making fun of her. “You see I have a rather irritating problem with a curse, and I would like the matter to be resolved quickly. The place where this curse takes place is a village called Larzak, located behind the Blue Mountains, on a far east position. That's all I can say for now.” 

He finally looked back at her, taking a more neutral tone. “So, miss Valarys, will you help me remove the curse?” 

_Oh by Freya, what have she got herself into._


	3. Chapter 3

The day was coming to an end. Cold rain was falling on the kingdom of Brugge. But Selene remained still, sitting in front of the little lake across the place of her temporary dwelling.

"You should find yourself a shelter my dear, I wouldn't want the woman I hold dear to be sick." Regis had appeared next to her, putting an arm around her wet form, keeping his body close to give her some warmth. 

A heavy sight escaped her. "I don't know why I accepted to help him. I can sense he definitely don't like humans and I have a bad feeling about him. Do you think I took the right decision? Taking care of curses is normally not the sort of tasks I do." Trembling from the cold, she tried to snuggle even more close to him. 

"I didn't wished for you to be entangled in vampire business Selene, and I am not quite sure you are ready to discover what lies in a place like Larzak. But the decision is yours, and furthermore I wish to come with you if my company is not unwelcome. I do not doubt your capacity to take care of yourself, but should something happen I could protect you. I don't think the one hiring you will try to hurt you, but without one of us standing by your side, I would not say the same for the others. Those from Tdet can be difficult to deal with." 

"Tdet? Is it the name of an other one of your tribe? You really trust that guy? I thought he would have killed me if our host and yourself hadn't reacted earlier." 

"Well, he sure isn't the friendly type," said Regis while standing and helping her on her feet, "and definitely not a humanist." Walking back to their dwelling place, he kept Selene close to his side once more." But he can be rely on. Tdet is as you guessed one of our three tribes. They ventured beyond the Blue Mountains several centuries ago. They didn't adapt to human life like we did and still hold on old vampire traditions. They have most to learn from you human and their behavior can be seen as selfish, dominant and ruthless. But there is a little more to it than a first look can show."

Selene stopped, forcing Regis to halt his march as well. "Are you sure you want to come with me? Your little party ended up on a much bigger journey. I don't want you to feel oblige to join me because I am not a powerful being that can defend herself against your kind."

Reaching for her face with both hands, he forced her to look at him despite the rain falling on her face. "Selene you should have known from now that I care for you deeply, and even if I wish for us to discover each other at a slow pace, I intend to spend as much time with you as you will allow me to. My decision is not motivated by a need to soothe an inquired guilt or to achieve any chivalric duty. The feelings I harbor toward you are a much better encouragement." His thumbs drew slow circles around the lines of her face, stopping under her ears. "The real question is, do you want me by your side?"

The sky was becoming darker by any minute, and the rain falling now in heavy drops, obscured her surrounding and clouded her senses. But she heard every last of his words, uttered clear and loud. And they lingered in a mind like a very pleasant caress. His dark and intense eyes were the only thing she could look at. Grabbing his vest, she pulled herself closer to him, until the drops of water gathering on his face, fell down on her own, until her heart sped up at an impossible speed, until she could not hold her words anymore and muttered them out slowly.

"I won't go anywhere without you. I... I don't think I have ever felt like this before for anyone. And it's frightening somehow – to fall so quickly for someone I barely know, to trust one so deeply despite what tears us apart. But I am ready for it, whatever awaits us at the end." 

Her answer was met at first by a long silence. He was looking at her with an undecipherable expression, still holding carefully her face between his hands. And all of a sudden a rush of overwhelming emotions came to her, and at the same time his lips were on hers. Their eyes met in a timeless glance, before they closed to enjoy the moment of bliss, of silent adoration and sincerity. The kiss was profoundly gentle, surprisingly warm despite the forgotten cold rain. 

She barely remembered their walk back to the residence, still lost in the kiss. No words were uttered after that, none were needed. The non-lasting smile lingered on her face long time after the welcoming warm bath, and even the questioning look of Dettlaff waiting for her arrival with Regis in the main room couldn't take it from her. With her rosy cheeks, glistening eyes and absorbed expression, she sure looked like a foolish teenager. Regis sheepish grin looked no less suspicious and Dettlaff had to roll his eyes at the display in front of him.

"This is touching but I must leave you now. Selene you will have to be careful down there, this is no ordinary mission. Stay out of trouble." Nodding his head toward Regis he disappeared in a red mist.

Before they could mutter any word, the owner of the estate came to them, a pleasant smile on his face. "Well my friend I thank you for coming to my party last night, it was a pleasant surprise to see you again, as well as to meet you Miss Selene." 

"Pleasure shared my lord", replied the young woman, "Thank you for permitting me to join you, oh and many thanks for the clothes you lent me!"

"That was nothing, my mate insisted on it and I daresay her attire fits you perfectly! Flying in wet clothes is out of the question!"

Selene took a shocking expression and became all pale. "What? Did you say flying!?" 

Regis cut the conversation before the man had any chance to reply. "Hm Marlin I thank you for your warm welcome and I see you soon again."   
Being dragged along the stairs to the surface, she just had time to see Marlin waving at them with an enigmatic smile on his face. 

"What did he meant by flying Regis? I thought we were going to Ellander by horses where we will find a portal that will lead us directly to Loc Muinne."

"Yes well, I have thought about it and the most effective and quicker way to cross such a long distance as well as the many natural obstacles we will find on our way is the one by the air. Alarik will wait for us in his mansion. And he is not a very patient man so I suggest we don't tarry on the road." 

Arriving in the open air along a little rock cliff overlooking a forest, Regis let go of Selene waist to walk four steps ahead. No human settlements could be seen around. The rain had finally stopped leaving room for a cloudy night sky. Fortunately for Selene a pair of torches lightened the entry of the cave and she could clearly see Regis form in front of her. 

"Sooo how are we going to get there? You may know how to fly but I don't. And you are not going to carry me like a sack of wheat across the whole continent isn't it?! I can use my power to call for a griffin and ride on him. I merely need to find one." She began to walk along the cliff looking around for any signs of winged creature that could be of help (excluded a vampire). Appearing in front of her Regis looked at her with a knowing expression.

"Are you afraid to fly with me? Because that is exactly what I intend to do, and I promise to carry you in a more dignified way than a vulgar bag of wheat." His gaze softened and he loose the playful tone. "You can trust me my dear, whatever I look like. I will never let you go. I don't want my bestial form to frighten you, so I think it could be better if you close your eyes."

She looked down, ensure. "It's... not that I don't trust you, you know that. I am not afraid of the other forms you can take even if I don't really know what to expect." She grimaced. "I am just terrified of flying. I have never tried with a griffin but they don't fly very high and I can be in control, sort of..." She looked up at him expectantly. "I will stick to the initial plan, we can meet at Loc Muinne and cross the mountains together. If you weren't with me I would have done it anyway!"

She walked around Regis and began to go down toward the forest when the vampire sized her by the waist from behind and whispered in her right ear. "Darling I insist. To vanquish ones fear the best solution is to stop thinking and give it a try. You did it splendidly last night, I know you can do it again." His voice hold a sad tone. "We can do it. I - want - to share this moment with you." She didn't replied and instead just breathed deeply. There was something melancholic in his voice. Was he thinking of some bad memories from his past? Before her nerves took control of her body once again she gave a short nod and closed her eyes. 

Giving her waist a reassuring squeeze, Regis took some steps back and began to transform.  
Selene could hear cracks and tearing noises, and then a frightening groan that was not human at all. Thanks to her druid senses she could feel his dark and heavy energy coming around her. The air became more dense, her skin crawled under the thick lay of clothes. So much power. She perceived it as if it was hers, consuming her thoughts. She was so lost in the feelings she didn't registered when he picked her up in his strong arms and pressed her body tightly against his hairy and muscular frame. She shrieked and held on her middle as if she was attacked.  
 _Calm down it's just Regis, he is not going to hurt you, you told him you were not afraid of him. He is still the same man that tenderly kissed you earlier._

Selene tried to keep her eyes tightly shut while Regis gave her some time to get use to the awkward position. She was tightly secured in his arms from under her knees and around her upper body. She couldn't feel his claws and assumed that he took them carefully away of her body. He was breathing heavily, and she could hear it rumbled through his frame where her ear was pressed. _Being in his arms where I can do nothing at all is becoming an habit. First for the blood exchange and now for that. A relationship with a vampire is definitely not a peaceful and uneventful experience._

She felt him crouched down and the air suddenly took her breath away when he shot up in the sky at frightening speed. She couldn't scream even if she wanted to. She grabbed his fur tightly and tried to fight the very unpleasant sensation of sudden speed. After a moment that felt extremely long, his speed decreased and she could finally breath normally again. She was shivering but not from the cold thanks to his highly warm body.  
Regis nuzzled the top of her head for reassurance, doing some sorts of grunts that looked like purrs. When her raging heart had finally calmed down, she dared to open her eyes little by little. At first she could see nothing clearly, just the dark shade of Regis hairy torso. Not bold enough to look down, she peeked at the side to see that they were passing a large bunch of clouds.

"Selene," a ragged voice said, “are you okay?" She barely managed to whisper her answer but was sure he would understand it despite the noise of the wind. "Ye-yes, I am fine." 

He sank down as slowly as he could and she managed to see that he was flying above a giant river. Holding her tighter with his right arm, he let his left hand come in contact with the surface of the water, sending wet sparks on Selene face with the speed. He breathed a sight a relief, seemingly enjoying greatly the moment. Selene felt some kind of euphoria and without thinking about it she did the same and lightly touched the water. _This is familiar, a joyful moment around the water, we have done it before._

She then let her hand wandered on his strong and thin arm, much longer than a human one. In a quick movement he put her higher in his arms, her face close to his own. His head was huge and looked a lot like an actual bat apart from his giant fangs. His eyes were still black but the dark iris covered the totality of the sclera. 

He shifted direction to fly higher in the sky one more time, and when she was about to close her eyes again he put a claw kindly under her chin to make her looked up. Thousands of stars were now shinning above them. He took her little hand in his giant one and extended her arm, as if to show her how to fly, to make her feel the wind between her fingers. He rearranged their position so her back was against his chest, and the sight of a very little city under them put her heart directly to her throat. She gave a little scream and grabbed his arms with all her strength.

"Selene, relax, you are safe with me." His raspy voice was nothing like what she was used to, but she believed each word it said. With arms wide opened despite the huge protest of her brain, another shout left her mouth, one of jubilation this time. She had the impression to be psychologically connected to Regis, to feel his emotions, to be one with him, in the night sky of Temeria. 

The flight took a very long time, and Selene thought about her first meeting with Regis, and how all of this began, unexpected, in Beauclair Palace Gardens. 

_**Two months ago, Beauclair Gardens** _

Sitting between poppies, surrounded by bushes of violets and white flowers of exquisite perfume, Selene was looking down at Beauclair vines and harbor, enjoying the warm morning sun.  
A man approached her, holding a basket in his right hand. Upon seeing his arrival she rose, smiling at him.

"Good morning Selene. Have you been waiting for long?"

"Good morning Regis. Not at all, I came earlier to enjoy the lovely view. Beauclair is a marvelous city, full of nature, animals and memories of ancient cultures."

"I am glad you like the place. I too enjoy it, and even more in such a pleasant company." He bowed lightly at her upon finishing his sentence. Flushing, Selene invited him to sit where she was a moment ago.

Their breakfast was delicious, Regis had bought a large assortment of cakes and fruits, and a bottle of delicious cider. Speaking to him was very easy, and between topics about the many uses of sage leafs and the long history of Toussaint vineyard, time went incredibly fast. She was normally not the chatty type, preferring silence than complicated explanations, but she couldn't get enough of their discussions. He knew a great many things and could turn any boring subjects into fascinating ones.   
Most of the time she let him speak, enjoying the simple fact of looking into his shinny and passionate eyes and the wild gestures of his hands – sometimes not following completely what he was saying. 

"And that's the moment when the great rabbit fell from the sky and became a living god for the inhabitants of Uhmir island! Isn't that interesting my dear Selene?" He arched his brows at her lost expression.

"Oh yes, of course it is!" she quickly answered, having only heard his last sentence.

Sighting, Regis shook is head with an exasperated expression. "You are not even listening, I have been saying some good nonsense to see if you were following, and I can see that my everlasting beauty have apparently taken all your attention from the meaning of my rambling". His eyes took a playful spark. " I guess a fresh bath will help you recover all your senses."

Before she could reply or register his movements, he had sized her by the waist and was walking down the hillock, toward the shores of Seidhe Llygad. 

Arriving at the water, he let the laughing and screaming woman coming down on her legs. Still grinning, she ran to the decorated pontoon, withdrew her boots and let her feet fell in the water.

"You have been right Regis, the cold water is a perfect idea!" she said to her approaching companion, who sat next to her but refrained from tasting the water. 

They sat in comfortable silence, gazing at the couples relaxing in small boats in the middle of the lake. 

"Don't you want to put your feet in the water?" Gazing around and finding no one to hear them she added, "I will begin to think that those legends about vampires being afraid of water are true." Her amused gaze met his shocked one. They stared at each other for a long time, his eyes searching for any signs of mistrust or fear, but he found none. Selene, embarrassed by his silence, talked again in a low tone.

"I know what you are since a long time Regis. I felt it the first time we met thanks to my druid senses. I felt the change in the air around you, I didn't knew what it was at first, just that you were not human. But I soon realized it, particularly after you lent me this book the other day, describing a lots of creatures, including higher vampires, in a very detailed way. And before you even worry about it, no I am not afraid, not at all, and I will never reveal it to anyone, you can trust me." She tried to send him a reassuring smile, squeezing his knee slightly at the same time. He looked a bit uncomfortable but also relieved in a way.

"I am grateful that the discovery of my nature haven't incited some kind of fear or mistrust toward my person. I am normally never inclined to reveal my non-appartenance to the human race, for all the reasons you imagine." 

"But you gave me the book. Was it just a coincidence that it was mostly talking about vampires?"

He looked away. "It will not be entirely honest to say that it was just a random occurrence. During our many conversations I have been aware of your great sense of empathy for all kind of beings, and I thought that you could accept me like Geralt and the others did. I wanted to give you a hint, and hear your thoughts about the book. Your revelation came before we had the chance to talk about it. But I am glad you did, in your own ironic way." His smile returned. "And to answer your rhetorical wondering about my liquid indisposition..." Without warning he once again sized her to put them both in the transparent water, damping their clothes up to their belly. 

"Regis!!!" she screamed, throwing water in his face and trying without success to make him fall entirely in the water, resulting in getting even more wet than before. 

A moment later, lying on the grass under the afternoon sun to dry their clothes, they were still laughing of their childish behavior.

Regis raised on his side, looking down at her. "I haven't let myself go this way since a very long time. I didn't even remember when it was. I am glad I have met you Selene."

She took his hand, waiting for him to remove it if he didn't wished for the physical contact, but he did no move of objection. On the contrary. He encircled hers with both hands and smiled fondly. His smile was contagious and the young woman couldn't help the surge of happiness crawling down her whole body. "So am I Regis, I don't feel like being anywhere else at the moment."

The day ended on a balcony near the palace, both looking at the sun set. Regis turned to look at her.

"Selene, there was something I wanted to ask you, and our delightful day have secured my decision.” Surprised at his genuine tone, she too turned to get a better look at him. “I don't want to lose myself in nonsensical explanations, so forgive me for my straightforwardness. I really enjoyed our time together and I have grown enthralled by your person, your intelligence, your beautiful mind. As a result, I would like to court you, if you give me your consent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will lead us to Larzak and the territory of Tdet! Sorry for the long wait between chapters, my new work is taking all of my time. Thanks for reading, comments and kudos will be very appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4

_**Tdet territorry, behind the Blue Mountains – Year 1277** _

The sun was rising over the province of Pantakhi, at the other side of the Blue Mountain. Under Selene eyes lied a new territory, covered by giant forests of pine trees surrounded by steep cliffs and stunning waterfalls. 

Regis landed on a grass plain surrounded by high peaks. There, in the middle of nowhere, stood a huge house at the side of a tumultuous river, made of stones and wood. 

Letting the young woman walk again on unsteady legs, Regis regained human form.

"This is Alarik's residence, and also where we will stay during your mission." Looking at her puzzle look he add, “You thought he was living in a cave or a crypt? Well despite his cold and old fashioned behavior he have adopted a more human way of living.”

The inside of the house was no less remarkable than its exterior, but the limited pieces of furniture didn't gave a warming welcome. Dark wooden chairs and tapestries, giant candelabras made of steel and bookcases aligned along the walls could be seen all around them, in the middle of a giant hall. The place was barely lit and the daylight hardly reached inside. 

A beautiful lady with shinny black locks, dressed in a tight red, golden and black dress with an ample neckline came to greet them. She was followed by two young men dressed in a sort of light armor made of dark leather. They introduced themselves as Alarik's family, talking the Common Speech with an exotic accent Selene had never heard before. One of the youngster showed them the way to their bedroom. Selene could sense the difference in their aura, the same way she had with Regis the first time they met. All of them were apparently higher vampires too. 

Once they were alone in the vast room lit up by a refined chimney decorated with intriguing carved patterns, Selene let herself fall on the bed, exhausted after their long flight. 

Regis broke the silence, sitting next to her. 

"I hope the fact that we have to share the same bedroom doesn't make you uncomfortable dear. Otherwise as I don't need to sleep as much as you do, I should not bother you and let you your privacy." 

As he was about to leave the room, she grabbed his wrist lazily and put him back on the bed.

"I don't care Regis," she said in a tired voice. "I would be glad to share the room with you and beside I expect you will behave just fine isn't it?" 

She managed to smile before turning on her side, falling already asleep. Caressing her cheek tenderly, Regis settled next to her against her back, a hand around her own. He listened a moment to the slow beat of her heart, and feeling also himself exhausted by last night, managed to fall asleep as well. 

***

Some times after, before sunset, Regis was leading Selene through a dense forest, following a little path. A group of dears ran in front of them, and as a nature lover, she went between ferns to touch and examine an old pine tree impressive by his huge roots and trunk. 

“Look at it Regis, he is so beautiful!” she said in admiration. 

Running back to him, she got an academic explanation of the specificity of this province. “ I have not visited this place many times, but I have been to Larzak once during my young years. It's not far from Alarik's estate, we should arrive there before nightfall." 

They had to meet their host after midnight in his estate. Selene was curious about the area he talked about, apparently afflicted by a curse. It seemed to be a sort of city, and she couldn't wait to meet its inhabitants. 

There was something she had forgotten to ask Regis about. Now was the perfect timing. Walking a little faster in order to follow his tempo, she took the vampire's hand in hers. 

"It was a great experience flying with you, and I wanted to thank you for it. I had never felt anything like this before – this freedom, all those sensations. I felt connected to you..." she hesitated a moment before going on, "Is it because of the blood I drank from you? I have the impression that what I felt was not really coming from me. It was a little unsettling as some point." 

Her companion seemed to contemplate his answer for a moment. 

"I wanted to wait a little before talking about it, but I think there are some things you must know at that point. Because of the small amount of my blood flowing in your veins, you and I share a deep connection that mortals normally don't. I wasn't sure it will work, and our bond is still young and incomplete, but it is there. I can feel some parts of your emotions, and it seems that you can do as such with my own. It's like an echo of my feelings that you are able to experience, and I believe that it is most likely to appear when we both share the same kind of situation. The strongest our relationship will become, if we both want that, the strongest this connection will be." 

Making a break to let her digest this last information, Regis stopped his steps and looked distant for a moment. Selene was not surprised by his revelation that explain a lot of what she had felt during their flight and even before that. But his sudden silence worried her. A pang of sadness crossed his features.

"Regis? Is everything okay?" He looked back at her and give her a small smile.

"I guess it is. You see, I have never shared anything like this with any human before. In my past as you well know, I was addicted to blood and didn't felt any kind of compassion for your brethren. The only humans that ended in my arms while I was in my bat shape, never saw another day after that. The only sound coming from them was one of pain, fear and hatred." He looked away again and grimaced at the memory. "I feel incredibly sorry for what happened at that moment, but alas I cannot change the past. With you though, I got some kind of redemption, or if not, an all new kind of experience. And it's _oh_ so refreshing. I didn't thought it possible after all the harm I have done. A human woman in my arms while I am flying – laughing and smiling. Happiness and awe to replace the chaos." He bore his intense eyes into hers, and she forgot to breath. "It is I who should thank you my darling. For healing so much life in me, for being a living proof that nothing is impossible." 

She didn't knew what to say, so choose instead to put her lips against his own in a chaste kiss, to show him that she understood, and was grateful for his words. 

They went on along the path, hand in hand, talking about more memories of their past, when the atmosphere suddenly changed around them.

The forest floor became more wild and uneven, with bushes of brambles and roots that made their progression difficult. No more animals could be seen or heard around. Regis walked in front of her, his senses in alert. A few steps ahead they caught sight of a village in a glade. 

"We have reached our destination.” he announced. “This is the village of Larzak."

Selene walked slowly between the dark wooden cottages whose foundations were made of small stones, until she arrived at a little square in the center of the dwellings. Looking around her, the first thing she remarked was that the village seemed completely empty. Some abandoned houses had collapsed, and weeds had invaded the path going from one house to the other. A low stone wall was surrounded most of the place. It reminds her of the village of Bladare on Skellige, except that this one was much bigger. 

The silence and the gloom around the place was giving her an unpleasant feeling in her stomach. It was a vast village where should have lived around thirty families. She walked down to the biggest building surrounded by small fences, looking like a farm. 

Regis stared at her from afar, calm and composed. There was apparently no danger around them. 

The house modest in appearance was looking comfortable once inside. There were at least four bedrooms spread on two floors with good looking bed and animal furs. The kitchen was still full of foodstuff with dried veggies and fruits, and also different kinds of decaying bread. There were no signs of bones or human rests, as if the villagers had simply left. She explored the rest of the village in search of some clues that could indicate the presence of a curse.

Something attract her attention in one far corner next to what looked like a storage room. It was a huge sculpture carved in wood. Offerings of all kinds could still be seen at the statue's pedestal. Selene stared at it with amazement. It depicted what was without a doubt a vampire, recognizable by his large wings and protuberant claws and fangs. Under his feet have been carved some strange symbols as well as a hand with a snake around it. The sculpture didn't looked menacing despite his appearance but bore a sort of protective stance. 

She opened her mouth to call after Regis but before a sound could escape her she felt a hand on her shoulder that made her jump.

"My apologies dear, I didn't meant to startle you. I guess you have some questions after your discovery."

"Yes I have. The people who were living here, it's like they were worshiping vampires. I have never seen something like this before. Did they truly knew about your race?"

"As you correctly guessed they knew, and I can even add that they knew exactly what we are, not what the erroneous and ludicrous myths are telling about us, but the truth about our nature. This statue is indeed a proof of their worship, but it's not comparable to the gods images your own kind praise."

Selene was extremely surprised by the revelation. Those people by a way or another learned what all others at the other side of the Blue Mountains didn't know, and instead of being afraid they decided to honor them. 

"That's really amazing. But how is it possible ? How long have they been doing that, and what happened to them?" 

"Well, unfortunately I don't have all the answers, we will have to wait for Alarik to explain. However, there is one thing I can tell you, and it won't be very pleasant to hear. Let me think a moment."

Regis walked away toward the center of Larzak and sat on an old storage box, looking thoughtful. She joined him, feeling both excited and anxious by what he was going to say. His meditative silence couldn't mean something good. 

"You see," he began, "a long time ago, my brethren kept living humans to use them for their blood. They were breeding them, the same way you breed animals to eat them."

Selene opened her eyes wild in shock. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear more of it. But Regis went on with the same neutral and detached tone.

"Different opinions appeared concerning husbandry of what they called human flocks. The first one lacked entirely of compassion and requested to lock humans in small underground rooms with a minimum access to food and water. The other one that they called  "Free-Range" is where vampires choose to let humans free – or at least as free as they permitted them to be. They could live in closed dwelling places where they were given everything they need like food, water and a relative material comfort. » 

She looked around her once again. At the houses surrounding the place, the fences, the thick trees at the border of the village that enveloped it like a green blanket. Three feet ahead of her lied a shiny object among the grass. She went to pick it up. It was a beautiful bracelet with the same intriguing writing she saw on the statue's pedestal. 

"You are telling me that this village have been created by vampires so they could breed human beings to drink their blood?" 

Regis looked sadly at her, a frown on his lips. 

"Yes, it is as you said. Most of my kind were not humanists, and their practices may appear completely barbaric and horrific to you. Things have changed since this period of time, but in some parts of this world, and certainly here on Tdet territory, old traditions persist today. This village is not old at all. If not for the curse, the population would still walk around at this hour. I do not support my brethren practices, and I do hope you won't judge us by what you have learned today."

She looked back at him and felt shame and embarrassment coming from him thanks to the link they shared. Walking back to where he sat, she put her hands on his shoulders, as if to alleviate the guilt. 

"I am not judging you, nothing of this is your fault. I always look with neutral eyes on this world, and even more when I know nothing about your kind. I... don't really know what to think about all this. It's frightening in a way, but I am not here to ponder about vampires' ways. Dettlaff said this is no ordinary mission, I am seeing more and more the truth about that."

As if to lighten her statement, she suddenly heard a soft cry next to them. She nearly thought it was her imagination, but Regis was on his feet and in front of her in a second, having changed his corporeal form. 

The sun was getting very low, making it difficult to clearly see all the village, or at least for Selene eyes. A white fog was slowly spreading around the place.

They heard the soft cry again, like a whimper, several times, all around them, like a light echo.   
Something seemed to approach between two close houses on their right. But as soon as it appeared it vanished. 

Selene got closer to Regis and called a spell of light, creating a blue ball in the air, and then others all around them, giving the fog a strange blue shadow. 

The vampire disappeared into mist to appear again next to a crumbled house, slashing into thin air with his claws. He had apparently see something she was too slow to acknowledge. But then she saw it ahead of him. A woman figure with breaded blond hair, dry and putrefied skin and hollow eyes, wearing a torn dress. A specter. 

The wraith looked at Regis, shout at him with a shrill cry that made Selene covered her hears in pain. Her companion sharpened his claws and charged at the wraith again, with no effects. But Selene realized that he was not missing the glowing figure, his claws went through her body without hurting her. 

That was unheard of for a normal specter who doesn't disappeared. Physical attacks should work against it. There were no animals around them that Selene could call with her druid power. Instead, she gathered her magical energy under a closed rock in order to throw it at the apparition. 

And it worked. The rock hit the specter in the chest, making her fall against a nearby tree. Raising up by hovering over the ground, she looked at Selene, remained immobile for a few more seconds before disappearing entirely from her view. Meanwhile, Regis had emerged next to Selene, changing back to his human shape.

"It seems we have met the main protagonist of our curse. Strangely my attacks were completely noneffective on that specter, but your blow managed to touch her and even made her flee. Have you met some wraiths before?"

"Only a few common wraiths, but never something like that. She doesn't seemed to be a noonwraith, a nightwraith or a penitent because she didn't turned immaterial. But you couldn't harm her so I can be mistaken. Something should bind her to this place if she is afflicted by a curse."

"You are right dear, but that is enough for today, the night is already there. We should go back to talk to Alarik and learn more about this curse."

Lightening up the path with the same balls of light as before, Selene and Regis walked back to their temporary home.


End file.
